The present invention relates to a shielded electrical connector, and, more particularly, to a shielded electrical connector constructed with an insulative housing and a conductive shield encircling the housing.
An electrical connector constructed with conductive contacts within an insulative housing and a conductive shield encircling the housing demands that the housing and the shield remain in fixed positions relative to each other, particularly during mating connection with another mating connector. The housing and the shield are separate parts that are assembled together. A cooperating latching system on the housing and the shield secures the separate parts together. The parts may vary in size as the result of their being manufactured within allowable dimensional tolerances, and when the parts are assembled and latched to each other, their positions can vary due to variations in the sizes of the parts that latch together.
The conductive shields are generally made of two equal or unequal halves or are of a one-piece construction. In the former case, more manufacturing steps and more accurate control over assembling operations are involved. In the latter case, complicate stamping operations for forming protrusions out of the plane of metal sheet are required in order that the protrusions may then be suitably engaged with holes formed on the metal sheet by subsequent bending operation. A need exists for a feature on an electrical connector whose shield can be easily made as well as can be conveniently assembled to and accurately engaged with the housing.